I like where this nucleus....

[BarnBurner]

I don't think anyone here WANTS to have low expectations for this team. They are just realistic.

If you dont want to yet still do, why? Have higher expectations.

Realistic = a top coach in year 5, a great school, more than adequate facilities, excellent fan support, and expect to compete for a conf title every 4 years?

4 years.

Grow up Bam Bam. Reality = what a concept!

 

[scools12]

Some people on here are just unwilling to accept that there are players n his team that can develop into stars. Austin has shown vast improvement IMO from last year, I can't wait to watch him next year! EE I think will develop into a double double guy, and I'm excited to watch him play with Mo. Dre is an enigma for me. If the Gophers actually become fast paced he would be a terrific point, if they don't I'm not sure.

Not everyone likes being doom and gloom. Gotta find a positive when things don't live up to your expectations.

I don't think anyone here WANTS to have low expectations for this team. They are just realistic.

maybe I am misunderstanding but it appears your own expectations are/were higher.

 

[BOUNDOUTPASSDUNK]

Ok, so if Tubby is the problem, who would replace him who would be able with this State's prospects and facilities/economic support to meet perpetual top half of B1G expectations? I think the criticism on the coach misses the focus. Top teams have good players, who expect media time, freedom, perception of cutting edge/being in the moment, adulation and the road to $,$$$,$$$.

 

[Madman]

But you don't play with just three players. With Mbakwe out, we are young. I looked at the B1G rosters of players who have averaged 10 minutes a game or more. Most ways you look at it, we are young.

The first column is the average number of years played coming into this year (FR=0, SR=3), second is percentage being upperclassmen, third is number of freshman, fourth is number of seniors.

<table border="1">
<tr> <td> Team </td> <td> Average </td> <td> % Upperclassmen </td> <td> FR </td> <td> SR </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> MN </td> <td> 1.0 </td> <td> 30% </td> <td> 4 </td> <td> 1 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> ILL </td> <td> 1.4 </td> <td> 50% </td> <td> 2 </td> <td> 1 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> IA </td> <td> 1.6 </td> <td> 44% </td> <td> 2 </td> <td> 3 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Ind </td> <td> 1.8 </td> <td> 67% </td> <td> 1 </td> <td> 2 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Mich </td> <td> 1.5 </td> <td> 38% </td> <td> 1 </td> <td> 2 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Mich ST </td> <td> 1.6 </td> <td> 50% </td> <td> 1 </td> <td> 3 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> NE </td> <td> 2.3 </td> <td> 88% </td> <td> 1 </td> <td> 4 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> NW </td> <td> 1.8 </td> <td> 67% </td> <td> 2 </td> <td> 3 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Ohio ST </td> <td> 1.1 </td> <td> 22% </td> <td> 2 </td> <td> 1 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Penn ST </td> <td> 1.0 </td> <td> 22% </td> <td> 3 </td> <td> 1 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> Pur </td> <td> 1.6 </td> <td> 50% </td> <td> 2 </td> <td> 3 </td> </tr>
<tr> <td> WI </td> <td> 2.0 </td> <td> 71% </td> <td> 0 </td> <td> 2 </td> </tr>
</table>


Interesting to look at in my opinion. We're the only team to have four freshmen average 10+ minutes a game. There's only one team with three (Penn St.). Everyone else is two or less. Wisconsin doesn't have any.

Edit: sorry, don't know why the post is kinda messed up

Interesting matrix you've put together here GophersInIowa. I think it's worth touching on a significant improvement that I witnessed in yesterday's game from one of our youngsters. I'm not sure if someone had to slap Oto on the side of the head to convince him that he ought to be taking some shots when he's on the floor as our supposed best shooter, but yesterday he showed some assertiveness that we have not seen from him yet. He had a couple sweet interior post moves that resulted in two buckets while connecting on 1 of his 2 three point attempts. He's not quick but he can shoot and his length is better than I thought. His low release point on his three point shot still concerns me but his increasing confidence is a welcome weapon.

 

[Parski1]

maybe I am misunderstanding but it appears your own expectations are/were higher.

Box!

 

[zambam]

If you dont want to yet still do, why? Have higher expectations.

Realistic = a top coach in year 5, a great school, more than adequate facilities, excellent fan support, and expect to compete for a conf title every 4 years?

4 years.

Grow up Bam Bam. Reality = what a concept!

Second worst facilities in the Big Ten are adequate? Good one.

maybe I am misunderstanding but it appears your own expectations are/were higher.

They were, I lowered them when Trevor was hurt and I realized Dre wasn't ready to play point.

 

[BarnBurner]

Second worst facilities in the Big Ten are adequate? Good one.


They were, I lowered them when Trevor was hurt and I realized Dre wasn't ready to play point.

So The Barn and the lack of a dedicated mens BB practice facility is the reason for the lack of success on the court.

Check.

 

[zambam]

So The Barn and the lack of a dedicated mens BB practice facility is the reason for the lack of success on the court.

Check.

You just read what you want to read.

 

[short ornery norwegian]

I'm not questioning the fact that the U has some inherent disadvantages - but here's the thing. When Tubby took the U job, we were told that he was a big-time coach who was going to elevate the U's program and national stature.

He hasn't - at least not so far. I hate to say it, but Tubby is starting to remind me of Glen Mason. His teams do well in non-conference action, muddle their way through the B1G season, and hope to squeak into post-season play. Actually, Mason did a better job of getting the Gophs into Bowl games than Tubby has done getting the Gophs into the NCAA or NIT tournaments.

Here's the question - is what the Gophs have right now good enough for you? There were FB fans who did not want Mason fired, and other fans who wanted a change because they felt Mason would never take the team to the next level. That's the way Tubby is looking to me right now - OK, not great, but showing no indication that he is going to take the team to the next level.

 

[BarnBurner]

You just read what you want to read.

Yes, I read what you wrote. Now you seem to disagree with yourself.

Cant have it both ways, bam bam.

 

[scher215]

I'm not questioning the fact that the U has some inherent disadvantages - but here's the thing. When Tubby took the U job, we were told that he was a big-time coach who was going to elevate the U's program and national stature.

He hasn't - at least not so far. I hate to say it, but Tubby is starting to remind me of Glen Mason. His teams do well in non-conference action, muddle their way through the B1G season, and hope to squeak into post-season play. Actually, Mason did a better job of getting the Gophs into Bowl games than Tubby has done getting the Gophs into the NCAA or NIT tournaments.

Here's the question - is what the Gophs have right now good enough for you? There were FB fans who did not want Mason fired, and other fans who wanted a change because they felt Mason would never take the team to the next level. That's the way Tubby is looking to me right now - OK, not great, but showing no indication that he is going to take the team to the next level.

And also, what did football do? They built a brand new stadium. When will basketball get that commitment?

Actually, in his first 5 seasons here mason was 0-2 in bowl games. Tubby after 5 seasons is 0-2 in the tournament, with year 5 still pending. Through 5 seasons tubby has a better overall and big 10 winning percentage than mason did in football. Mason made it another 5 years after that.

I'd also argue tubby has done more than take MN to the "next level" look at the program before tubby.

Was Wisconsin's roster full of MN kids because the U was so strong? Nope. Tubby has solidified the borders and gotten talent from out of state.

He has not held onto those players (mostly due to reasons outside of his control) and he has not won in the tournament, which he needs to start doing.

But to say tubby has only been okay at a program that had only made the NCAA twice in a row twice before him and only 5 total appearances before him, is not accurate IMO. People don't realize how bad MN basketball has been, tubby has made us respected, talked about, looked at by recruits, kept in state talent and all while being way behind the arms race.

Tubby will have to win some tourney games, but overall I'd say he has done pretty well.

I'm not in love with everything Tubby does, but he's the guy I trust most to keep this program going and hopefully they build that practice facility as well.

 

[zambam]

Yes, I read what you wrote. Now you seem to disagree with yourself.

Cant have it both ways, bam bam.

No, I wrote arguing that our facilities aren't adequate in the Big Ten. You said that our facilities are adequate, in the Big Ten they most definitely are not. Never in that post did I even say the word "win" let alone allude to the facilities being the reason we are not winning. Therefore, you are reading what you want to read.

 

[howieramone]

Several of us from the Dutcher era have already spotted EE has an NBA future. I wish I could have seen a bit more, but Huge Mo will be an above average B1G player. The rest of the pieces are already here and we are watching them being sorted out this year. I like both new recruits. Don't get caught up in that one and done nonsense. It takes until their junior year for all but a handful of players at a handful of schools.

Our beloved program is in good hands and Tubby will be starting a new streak. Gopher Basketball is and has always been the best game in town. Be patient, sit back and enjoy.

 

[Formo]

I'm not as down on Tubby as many here, but not a blind follower either. I think at a program like the U we can't expect to be Kentucky, Duke, Kansas, etc. where we're a top-5 team every year, but rather we're a program that needs to build/develop a roster & win the B1G Championship/make the Elite 8 every 4 years or so.

That said, last year Tubby had us positioned for that run & it didn't work out. We were ranked #15 in the nation, playing very well, should have gotten our combo guard back & been a real force. An Elite-8 team imo. Instead, our QB got hurt, our backup transferred leaving us w/out a PG & we all know the rest. People will argue that Tubby should have somehow kept Devoe here (legalize weed?), or that it's his fault for losing Cobbs (who most Tubby critics hated anyhow), or Royce (never understood how this was anyone's fault but Royce's?) & maybe that's so but Tubby DID have us positioned for a great run. If (and I know a lot of teams could say "what if") we'd have had Royce/Mbakwe/Ralph/Rodney/Walker & Nolen/Devoe/Blake we would have been a threat to beat anyone in college basketball. Instead the wheels came off the wagon & we're just not the type of team that "reloads", so it's back to the drawing board with an eye towards 3-4 years down the line again for that next big run.

That brings us to this season & the purpose of this post. Tubby's got this YOUNG team playing hard, playing together & gaining confidence by hanging close in these tough games. Young teams need to learn how to win & I see this nucleus being damn good as early as next year, but especially in 2 years when I think we'll be Elite-8 good again. Projecting 2 years down the line we'd have Mav (Sr), Dre Hollins (Jr), Chip (Sr), Austin Hollins (Sr), Coleman (Jr), Otto (R-Jr), Mo Walker (Jr-Sr?), EE (R-Jr). That's 2 veteran PG's, 2 veteran SG's, two veteran SF's, a veteran PF & veteran C. The front court looks a little thin but this is a nucleus that can win a lot of ball games imo.

Happy New Year to all...

Great post.

+1